Bridge for violins and other stringed instruments



J. B. PARENT.

BRIDGE FOR VIOLINS AND OTHER STRINGED INSTRUMENTS- APPLICATION FILED JULY 30.1921.

1,433,409. Patented Oct 24,1922.

WITNESS: ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 24, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH BALTEZAR PARENT, OF NEW ROADS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WHITNEY 1. LE J'EUNE, OF NEW ROADS, LOUISIANA.

BRIDGE FOR VIOLINS AND OTHER STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed July 30,

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. PARENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Roads, in the parish of Pointe Coupee and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bridges for Violins and Other Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention has reference to a bridge piece for stringed instruments, such as violins.

My object is to produce a bridge for thls class of instruments that is provided with a sound box whereby the tone of the instrument will be greatly improved.

The drawings illustrate a satisfactory embodiment of the improvement as it now appears to me, and in the said drawings Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the improvement on a violin.

Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged sectional view approximately on the line 2- 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bridge.

While, in the drawings, I have illustrated my improved bridge applied to that class of stringed instruments known as a violin,- the same is not to be thus restricted in its useful employment, as the improvement may be attached, with equal efficiency, to other classes of stringed instruments.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates the body portion of an ordinary violin, and 2 my improved bridge, in its entirety.

The bridge includes a substantially rectangular frame, comprising side members 3 which are connected by an arched top 4, the said top being notched, as at 5, to receive the strings. lower portions provided with inward extensions forming the same with feet 6. The lower edges of the feet are arched inwardly to properly contact with the arched upper surface of the sound box or body of the violin 1. Attached to the sides 3, and resting on the feet 6 of the frame 2 there is a hollow body 7 which, in plan approximately corresponds to the configuration of the The sides 3 have their 1921. Serial No. 488,62.

sound box or body '1 of the violin. The lower "wall of the hollow body which provides the sound box of the improvement is preferably flat, the upper wall, however, being rounded upwardly from its sides and ends to the center thereof, as indicated by the numeral 8. The ends of the body are centrally rounded inwardly, as at 9, and the rounded top is provided with curved slots 10 that form sound holes or openings. The arched top 4 of the bridge is centrally provided with a downwardly extending portion 11 that is in contact with the center of the sound box 7 of the bridge.

A bridge, as above described, can readily supplant the ordinary bridge on stringed instruments, and by providing the same with the sound box 7 the richness of tone of the instrument will be greatly increased, the same permitting a musician to obtain the same mellow tones on an ordinary violin as are obtained upon the highest classes of such instruments.

Having described claim 1. A bridge for stringed instruments comprising a substantially rectangular frame having inwardly directed feet to rest on an instrument, a sound box supported on the feet, an arched top for the frame which is notched to receive the strings of the instrument and which is centrally formed with an extension that is in contact with the outer center of the sound box.

2. A bridge for stringed instruments comprising a frame including side members which rest on the instrument, a hollow body supported between the side members of the frame, said body having rounded ends, its sides centrally rounded inwardly and its top rounded upwardly from the sides and ends of the body, and its said top having openings providing sound holes, an arched top for the frame notched to receive the strings of the instrument and centrally provided with an extension which is in contacting engagement with and secured to the upwardly rounded top of the sound box.

A bridge for stringed instruments comprising a substantially rectangular frame,

the I invention,

openings, and the upper arched member of the frame having a centrally depending por tion in contacting engagement with the top 10 of the hollow body.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH BALTEZAR PARENT. 

